Affordable lithium batteries without cobalt could slash electric car prices

In a world where electric vehicles are rapidly gaining popularity, one question remains: How can we power them sustainably? A research team from MIT may have found a promising answer. Their latest study, published in the journal ACS Central Science, introduces a new material for lithium-ion batteries that moves away from traditional cobalt and nickel in favor of organic materials. This advance could transform the landscape of batteries for electric vehicles.


Current batteries, which are essential to electric vehicles, largely rely on cobalt—a metal with high financial, environmental, and social costs. Cobalt, although providing high stability and energy density, has several issues: its scarcity, fluctuating cost, and ethical concerns related to its extraction. To address these drawbacks, alternatives such as lithium iron phosphate (LFP) are being explored, but they offer a lower energy density.

In this scenario, MIT's innovation is extremely encouraging. The researchers have created an entirely organic material made up of multiple layers of TAQ (bis-tetraamino-benzoquinone), a small organic molecule. This structure, similar to graphite, enables conductivity and storage capacities comparable to those of cobalt-containing batteries. Additionally, the high stability and insolubility of this material in the battery's electrolyte extend its lifespan, surpassing 2000 charge cycles with minimal degradation.

This organic material offers several advantages. For one, it can be manufactured at a significantly lower cost than cobalt-containing batteries. Moreover, its charging and discharging speeds are superior, which could speed up the recharging of electric cars. The material cost of these organic batteries could be as low as one-third to one-half of that of cobalt batteries.

This breakthrough not only paves the way for more sustainable and cost-effective batteries for electric vehicles but also signifies a major step forward in the search for alternatives to traditional batteries. Lamborghini has already licensed this technology, and the MIT lab continues to develop alternative battery materials, even considering replacing lithium with sodium or magnesium.